the Ovation Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean cruise ship. 

The first day onboard the Ovation Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean cruise ship was a sea-day, which means it was time to explore the ship. We said goodbye to Seattle and settled into our new home for the next week. Activities onboard range from a casino to dodgem cars to artificial surfing waves on the flow-rider. One of my favorite activities was I-fly, which is a skydiving simulator! The pick of the bunch for onboard things to do was the popular, North Star, which is a giant arm that elevates into the sky from the top deck giving guests a top-down view of the ship and the epic landscape surrounds.

Our second day of the expedition was our first excursion. We docked in the Alaskan town of Juneau and immediately headed out on what would be one of the most epic adventures of the year. Our mission was to head out to Mendenhall Glacier in a helicopter and then trek on the glacier to explore the ice formations.

The helicopter flight begins at the airport in Juneau. For the first five minutes, you are just flying over the town and nearby forest in what is a lackluster opening to the flight. However, what you’re about to witness is incredible and comes out of nowhere.

After cruising over the forest you creep up on a few beautiful lakes that sit beneath the opening to the glacier. The helicopter flew directly over the lakes and straight into the mouth of the glacier, shooting through the canyon created by the cliffs on either side. Our helicopter began to feel incredibly small as the vast glacier seemed to be an endless shelf of ice.

As the helicopter continued flying across the glacier, the landscape opened up more and more until we could see for miles but there was no end in sight for the glacier. It was white for as far as the eye could see with cliffs and mountains popping up through the glacier in all directions. There are so many diverse state and national parks in the US and Alaska is home to a good portion of them so I look forward to returning and exploring many more.

After about 20-minutes we dove down to the right and parked the helicopter directly on the Mendenhall Glacier where the base camp is set up for the tours. A small tent is all that marks the spot with just a few other groups in their red jackets wandering around the glacier shelf. 

The main focus of our two-hour exploration was to learn basic techniques of walking in crampons (ice shoes). It was actually super interesting and I found the lesson very valuable as someone who had little ice-shoe experience. We learned how to walk up hills, walk along 45-degree inclines and several other key techniques to know when navigating a glacier.

Along our walk, we came across several small rivers, a 20-foot waterfall and lots of unique ice formations and features, which our guides explained and pointed out. As a first-time glacier visit, I found the expedition incredible and really enjoyed the crampon lesson and investigating the ice formations. 

These are my favorite photos from our exploration on Mendenhall Glacier.

Our next adventure was to Skagway, where we would visit another glacier. This time we took the iconic train, White Pass, to the start of the Laughton Glacier Trail and began our adventure.

After departing the ship, we were met by our guide and taken to the railway stop on a bus. Here we boarded the train and off we set on the historical railway. This route was built during the Klondike Gold Rush and was at the time, one of the most scenic railways in the world and during this 45-minute ride, you will be able to soak in the epic landscapes along the way.

The railway is quite unique as it still uses vintage parlor cars. Several of the cars were built in 1881 and others built more recently share the same design.

On the train, we were briefed by our guides and we made our sandwiches for the day. Rather than give everyone a set lunch, we were able to pick our toppings and pack them up in our bag. They also gave us a couple of chocolate bars and packets of nuts to keep us going throughout the day. 

The train journey was beautiful. For the most part, we were surrounded by the forest but every now and again the railway would open up into a clearing in the valley and the views were pretty phenomenal with huge cliffs on either side and lush green covering everything in between. The train journey in itself is one of the shore excursions for cruise passengers, which means your transit to the hike is actually someone else’s highlight of the day. You know then, that is a special journey with many scenic moments.

We jumped off the train after 500m of incline gain from Skagway. The train had dropped us right at the trailhead and after grabbing some spikes and trekking poles from the guides our group set off into the forest.

The trail was quite well defined and was mostly a dirt path with a few ups and downs. However, at times wooden boards had been installed to make the hiking path easier to navigate in the wet periods. On either side of the trail, you could find small blueberry bushes amongst the smothering of moss and other forest ferns. The old-growth rainforest valley that is home to moose, bear, mountain goats, and other wild animals. We kept a lookout for bears but didn’t make any sightings.

The trail winds its way along the raging Skagway River and we often made slight detours to find ourselves on the rocky banks of the river. It was ferocious and freezing cold. Not a river you want to fall into!

Halfway along the trail is a small clearing where a mountain hut toilet is nestled in amongst the trees. Once you reach this point you will begin to get glimpses of the Laughton Glacier.

From this point on you will steadily make your way uphill although the trail is never too steep. The trail gradually becomes less of a path and more rocky as you edge your way closer to the glacier until you are indeed just walking over rocks! The path is still visible but at a certain point, you will need to put your ice spikes on as the terrain is now just rocks on top of the ice and can be quite slippery. Glaciers are also unpredictable and can be very dangerous so despite the landscape looking quite tame, it is not advised to explore glaciers alone or without an experienced guide or companion.

We strapped on our ice spikes and began to steadily move across the ice. Along the way, we encountered lots of exposed crevasses and moulins aswell as many other unique ice formations. About 1-kilometer before the base of the glacier, our group stopped and enjoyed lunch and the viewpoint. This is where most groups stop and admire the scenery. You will find yourself inside a valley where the glacier used to cover the entire landscape. Now all that remains is the gravel as the glacier continues to recede further every year. 

After lunch and some more exploring on the glacier, we headed back along the trail the same way we had hiked in. At a good pace, I think we made it back in under 1.5 hours without stopping as much as we did on the way in. It’s a beautifully peaceful trail where you can enjoy the fresh mountain air and calm atmosphere on the way down. By the way… if your guides make you do a ‘Glacial Facial’ they made us too!

The next day on board the Ovation Of The Seas was meant to be pretty epic with a very scenic route. The ship is meant to pass close to Dawes Glacier and pretty much be surrounded by incredible landscapes. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t work out and we were inside a cloud for most of that day. It was tough knowing that if the clouds dissapeared it would be the most amazing view but up till that point, we had great weather so we had to count ourselves lucky for the fortune early on in the trip.

Our last adventure was in Canada! On the last full day of the adventure, we stopped off in Victoria. Here the crew headed on a bus through the historic old-town before reaching a zip-line course in the forest. For the next few hours, we flew our way through the scenic region with a little adrenaline-rush as we zipped from tree to tree in the forest. Here’s the video from my experience in Victoria on the zipline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jackson Groves (@jackson.groves) on Sep 5, 2019 at 9:58pm PDT

It was now the final leg of our journey as we cruised home overnight, waking up in the port at Seattle where we had begun the adventure seven days ago. Thinking back, it seemed like it was a month earlier when we boarded the ship. I think that is because you just get up to so many activities and adventures on the cruise that it seems like you have been on a vacation forever.

Big thanks to Royal Caribbean for a great week of glacier adventures and time onboard the Ovation Of The Seas.

HOW TO GET TO MENDENHALL GLACIER IN JUNEAU

Mendenhall Glacier is located 12 miles out of the town of Juneau. While the most popular mode of transport used to reach the glacier is a helicopter for tourists and cruise visitors, it is actually possible to hike up and down to the glacier at your own leisure. You can also kayak to the base of the glacier and hike up. The options are really countless if you want to go get out on the glacier but my three recommendations are the tours below:

Helicopter and Glacier Trek to Mendenhall Glacier: Check Prices and Availability

Kayak and Glacier Trek to Mendenhall Glacier: Check Prices and Availability

Guided Mendenhall Glacier Trek from Juneau: Check Prices and Availability

I did the helicopter flight to Mendenhall Glacier as a shore excursion from the Ovation Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean cruise ship and we began our exploration trek from base camp on the glacier. The helicopter tour was one of the most insane flights I’ve ever been on and it was well worth the extra money for the incredible landscapes you can really only see from the helicopter!

THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT TO MENDENHALL GLACIER

The helicopter flight begins at the airport in Juneau. For the first five minutes, you are just flying over the town and nearby forest in what is a lackluster opening to the flight. However, what you’re about to witness is incredible and comes out of nowhere.

After cruising over the forest you creep up on a few beautiful lakes that sit beneath the opening to the glacier. The helicopter flew directly over the lakes and straight into the mouth of the glacier, shooting through the canyon created by the cliffs on either side. Our helicopter began to feel incredibly small as the vast glacier seemed to be an endless shelf of ice.

As the helicopter continued flying across the glacier, the landscape opened up more and more until we could see for miles but there was no end in sight for the glacier. It was white for as far as the eye could see with cliffs and mountains popping up through the glacier in all directions.

After about 20-minutes we dove down to the right and parked the helicopter directly on the Mendenhall Glacier where the base camp is set up for the tours. A small tent is all that marks the spot with just a few other groups in their red jackets wandering around the glacier shelf.

Another great heli-glacier hike combo adventure is the Franz Josef Heli-Hike in New Zealand so check that one out if you get a chance!

Trekking on Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau

The trek on Mendenhall Glacier will differ depending on which tour, tour company and package you selected. For us, it was more of an exploration of the glacier rather than a trek. We stayed nearby the base camp but explored many of the glacial features and a waterfall that can be found near the base camp. 

The main focus of our two-hour exploration was to learn basic techniques of walking in crampons (ice shoes). It was actually super interesting and I found the lesson very valuable as someone who had little ice-shoe experience. We learned how to walk up hills, walk along 45-degree inclines and several other key techniques to know when navigating a glacier.

Along our walk, we came across several small rivers, a 20-foot waterfall and lots of unique ice formations and features, which our guides explained and pointed out.

It is possible to explore on your own at Mendenhall Glacier. However, you would need to have experience in glacier trekking and come with the correct gear. Our guides provided us with and ice-pick, crampons, snowshoes, Goretex trekking jackets and pants and gloves. I wouldn’t head up to Mendenhall Glacier without all of those items.

As a first-time glacier visit, I found the expedition incredible and really enjoyed the crampon lesson and investigating the ice formations. If you have glacier experience, you may find the tour a little basic and feel a bit limited. There are longer options that do 4-5 hour treks and assume some basic knowledge, which is a good alternative option in that case. 

These are my favorite photos from our exploration on Mendenhall Glacier.

Hike Distance: The total distance of the hike was 14.5km along a pretty well-defined trail throughout. The trail is an out and back so it is just over 7km one-way.

Hike Duration: The hike is a slow-paced adventure with lots to see along the way. A big part of the day is hanging out and exploring the glacier and the ice once you arrive so that also takes some time. We took over 8 hours for the entire excursion but I believe the hike alone could be achieved in under 3 hours if you made quick tracks to and from the trailhead.

Hike Difficulty: The Laughton Glacier Hiking Trail is relatively simple with only a couple hundred meters of elevation. The trail itself is well-maintained although you do navigate roots, rocks and uneven surfaces. Most walkers will be fine but it is not a suitable trail for those not comfortable with loose terrain.

The difficult parts to mention are of course the glacier itself. It’s not necessary to hike on the glacier but it is highly recommended. For this, you will need to put on ice spikes. Just the simple spikes you wrap onto your shoe will do. These will help you navigate the glacier. You also have some loose gravel in the final stages of the hike, which is slippery and can be a little dangerous for some. If you do the hike as part of a tour, your guide will provide the ice spikes and likely a trekking pole aswell.

Hike Incline: Total elevation from the trailhead to the glacier was 300m. The train takes you from Skagway town to the trailhead up 500m so you gain 800m for the day but over half of that is from the comfort of the train.

HOW TO GET TO THE LAUGHTON GLACIER TRAIL

I did my hike with Packer Expeditions as a shore excursion from the Ovation Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean cruise ship. They picked us up in a bus, took us to the train pickup and then we rode the train to the trailhead.

If you are not part of a tour with Packer Expeditions, you will need to book your train ticket on wpyr.com and pick your tickets up at the depot in Skagway and then jump on the train to the trailhead. The tickets run at about $60 per person for a return trip but you can check the current prices on the site here.

MY EXPERIENCE ON THE LAUGHTON GLACIER TRAIL

As I said above, I hiked with Packer Expeditions as a shore excursion from the Ovation Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean cruise ship. This meant everything was quite well organized and we didn’t have to worry about maps, equipment, snacks, water and safety measures. It was all taken care of.

Packer Expeditions included the following gear on the tour:

• Trekking poles, rain gear, and hats and gloves.
• Guides carry extra warm clothing, sunblock, and bug repellent.
• Full lunch in the form of a sandwich buffet
• Water bottles, candy bars, and nuts are provided for the trail as well as hot drinks

After departing the ship, we were met by our guide and taken to the railway stop on a bus. Here we boarded the train and off we set on the historical railway. This route was built during the Klondike Gold Rush and was at the time, one of the most scenic railways in the world and during this 45-minute ride, you will be able to soak in the epic landscapes along the way.

The railway is quite unique as it still uses vintage parlor cars. Several of the cars were built in 1881 and others built more recently share the same design.

On the train, we were briefed by our guides and we made our sandwiches for the day. Rather than give everyone a set lunch, we were able to pick our toppings and pack them up in our bag. They also gave us a couple of chocolate bars and packets of nuts to keep us going throughout the day. 

The train journey was beautiful. For the most part, we were surrounded by the forest but every now and again the railway would open up into a clearing in the valley and the views were pretty phenomenal with huge cliffs on either side and lush green covering everything in between. The train journey in itself is one of the shore excursions for cruise passengers, which means your transit to the hike is actually someone else’s highlight of the day. You know then, that is a special journey with many scenic moments.

We jumped off the train after 500m of incline gain from Skagway. The train had dropped us right at the trailhead and after grabbing some spikes and trekking poles from the guides our group set off into the forest.

The trail was quite well defined and was mostly a dirt path with a few ups and downs. However, at times wooden boards had been installed to make the hiking path easier to navigate in the wet periods. On either side of the trail, you could find small blueberry bushes amongst the smothering of moss and other forest ferns. The old-growth rainforest valley that is home to moose, bear, mountain goats, and other wild animals. We kept a lookout for bears but didn’t make any sightings.

The trail winds its way along the raging Skagway River and we often made slight detours to find ourselves on the rocky banks of the river. It was ferocious and freezing cold. Not a river you want to fall into!

Halfway along the trail is a small clearing where a mountain hut toilet is nestled in amongst the trees. Once you reach this point you will begin to get glimpses of the Laughton Glacier.

From this point on you will steadily make your way uphill although the trail is never too steep. The trail gradually becomes less of a path and more rocky as you edge your way closer to the glacier until you are indeed just walking over rocks! The path is still visible but at a certain point, you will need to put your ice spikes on as the terrain is now just rocks on top of the ice and can be quite slippery. Glaciers are also unpredictable and can be very dangerous so despite the landscape looking quite tame, it is not advised to explore glaciers alone or without an experienced guide or companion.

We strapped on our ice spikes and began to steadily move across the ice. Along the way, we encountered lots of exposed crevasses and moulins aswell as many other unique ice formations. About 1-kilometer before the base of the glacier, our group stopped and enjoyed lunch and the viewpoint. This is where most groups stop and admire the scenery. You will find yourself inside a valley where the glacier used to cover the entire landscape. Now all that remains is the gravel as the glacier continues to recede further every year. 

After lunch and some more exploring on the glacier, we headed back along the trail the same way we had hiked in. At a good pace, I think we made it back in under 1.5 hours without stopping as much as we did on the way in. It’s a beautifully peaceful trail where you can enjoy the fresh mountain air and calm atmosphere on the way down. By the way… if your guides make you do a ‘Glacial Facial’ they made us too!

I highly recommend this railway and glacier hike combo if you are stopping in Skagway as part of a cruise or just passing through as a traveler. It’s a great way to experience a glacier and enjoy a moderately challenging day out on the trails without getting too crazy!